Bale-tie.



E. LATHAM.

BALE TIE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11017.22, 1909.

995,691 Patented June 20, 1911.

EDGAR LATI-IAM, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

BALE-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Application filed. November 22, 1909. Serial No. 529,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR LATHAM, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bale-Ties, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to means for securing together the ends of balebands and has particular reference to cotton bale ties, although it isof course adapted to other uses. Its objects are to produce a strong,simple and compact joint for the ends of bale ties which can be easilyand cheaply made and which will be in such form as to have no projectingpoints to be engaged by the covering of the bale. Its novel featureswill be apparent from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a perspective view of two band sectionsunited by my improved means; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the twosections separated; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form.

As shown in the drawings the ends of the two band sections 1 and 2 aremade exactly alike, and therefore it is sufiicient to describe one ofthem in detail. Near the end of the band section I make a cut 3 in thematerial inwardly from the margin, thus producing a tongue 4: which, asshown in Fig. 2, is bent at an angle to the body of the section upon theline 5. This line 5 is at an angle to the sides of the band section,being nearer to the margin opposite the side from which the tongue iscut at its portion nearest the end of the band section, thus leaving thetongue 4 in such position that when it is bent inward against the bandit will bend slightly to the rear or away from the end of the section.The section is furthermore provided with a slot 6 arranged diagonally ofthe band section, and preferably some distance to the rear of the tongue4:, and this slot is in such position and is so arranged as to receivethe tongue of the opposite section when the parts are brought togetherwith the two sections in line, as shown in Fig. 1. After the sectionsare brought together with each tongue entering the opposite slot, thetongues are bent down against the surface of the band so as to form asmooth joint clamping the two sections together.

The diagonal arrangement of the slots and tongues enables me to securethe requisite strength in the joint, since it enables me to use widertongues than would be possible if they were cut from the material atright angles to the length. Being at an angle the slots do not extend sofar across the band and consequently do not weaken it to the same extentas they would if at right angles, and at the same time the tensilestrain on the parts is not altogether taken up on the edge of thetongues as would be the case if those tongues were arrangedlongitudinally of the band. I

In the particular arrangement as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is thepreferred form, it will be noted that the two tongues are foldedinwardly in opposite directions and that the line of pull is on theinner face of the hooked extensions formed by the tongues. While thepull on the inclined contact surfaces of one tongue and slot tends tomake the parts move in one direct-ion, the pull on the other tongue andslot tends to make them move in the opposite direction, and consequentlythe parts are held in place and the strain is taken on the face of thetongues rather than on the edges.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form in I which the inclination of theslots 7 and 8 is opposite to that shown in the first two figures, and inthis case the tongues are bent on an angle toward the ends of thesections from which they are out.

It will be observed that since the tongues are bent over against thematerial at an angle to the length of the band, as shown for instance inFig. 3, there will be a clamping and binding action which will resistthe strain of a longitudinal pull on the bands and the entire pull willnot be taken up on the sharp edge of the bent over portion or tongue.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a bale band, the combination of two similar band sections eachprovided with a slot cut diagonally therein, a tongue out from thematerial of the band at the end of each section and bent outwardlytherefrom on a diagonal line in such position that the tongue of onesection will pass through the slot of the opposite section when the bandsections are put together in line, the said tongues being passed throughthe said slots and bent back upon the opposite band section so as toclamp it and form a smooth joint.

2. In a bale band, the combination of tWo similar band sections eachprovided with a slot cut diagonally therein, a tongue out from thematerial of the band at the end of each section and bent outwardlytherefrom on a diagonal line which approaches the margin of the sectionmost closely at the end of said section, the said tongues and slotsbeing so arranged that the tongue of 10 one section enters the slot ofthe opposite section and the tongues being bent back upon the materialto clamp the parts together and form a smooth joint.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDGAR LATI-IAM.

Vitnesses:

J NO. W. J oNEs, MORRIS H. HARROLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

